President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today September 2nd officially commissioned the De Heus Fish Feed Factory in Njeru in Buikwe District which is a significant investment as a top-tier animal nutrition firm based in the Netherlands, and marks a major advancement for Uganda’s aquaculture sector.
The De Heus Animal Nutrition has successfully plant in Njeru near Jinja is a state-of-the-art facility which the first dedicated aquafeed plant in Uganda and marks an important milestone for fish industry stakeholders across the country.
At full capacity, the plant has the capability to produce approximately 50 thousand metric tons of fish feed per year, catering to the growing demand in the East African market.
While speaking at the event, President Museveni noted that Uganda is proud to contribute to the nutrition and food security of Uganda, as fish plays a vital role in the country’s diet.
” With the wild catch stagnating or decreasing and the population rapidly growing, farmed fish has become crucial to meet the increasing demand” President Museveni said.
Uganda possesses immense potential for aquaculture, given its large lakes and favorable water temperatures that support year-round fish farming, and commissioing the plant, the country aim to provide a positive boost to the aquaculture industry in Uganda and the surrounding countries.
According to the vision bearers, although the fish industry has shown promising growth in recent years, it requires affordable and reliable quality feeds for further development since currently, most feeds are imported and this local factory will offer a shorter, more flexible supply chain.
The President said that he was happy that the impact of this fish feed plant goes beyond employment opportunities at the facility itself and the country anticipate a significant positive effect on employment among fish farmers and our suppliers, as we aim to replace imports and source raw materials such as maize, cassava, soy and others locally as much as possible.
De Heus Company combines global experience and expertise with a rich background in Dutch agricultural innovation and firmly believe in the potential of Africa, which is why they continue to invest in expanding their footprint across the continent in addition to the existing presence in South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, the company is now proud to establish ourselves in Uganda.
